Protective cover for caskets



Jan. 23, 1951 w, RUNYON 2,539,164

PROTECTIVE COVER FOR GASKETS Filed June 23, 1947 Fig.

Inventor Walter J- Runyon By QM Attorrey Patented Jan. 23, 1951 PROTECTIVE COVER FOR GASKETS Walter J. Runyon, Jackson, Miss, assignor to Runson Pro-Cast Inc., Jackson, Miss, a corporation of Mississippi Application June 23, 1947, Serial No. 756,502

2 Claims.

kets that is conveniently inserted in place as the casket is lowered into a grave that will eliminate the usual annual upkeep in grave work due to ground settlement.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a cover for the purposes disclosed that includes new and novel means whereby the same may be readily and quickly lowered in position to a casket without the necessity of the grave attendant having to climb into the grave after the casket has been lowered in position thereto.

A still further aim of the present invention is to provide a protective cover for caskets that is simple and practical in construction, strong and reliable in use, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and otherwise Well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view showing the protective casket cover in use;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the present invention with parts thereof broken away;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of one of the end members for use with the cover members, and with parts broken away and shown in section;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the cover members, and with parts broken away and shown in section; and,

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration, there is disclosed a preferred embodimentof the present invention, the numeral I0 represents a pair of substantially rectangular end members of preferably concrete material which are provided with a suitable number of spaced parallel steel reinforcing rods l2.

Suitably carried by selective rods i2 are supporting brackets ill having one of their ends em-- bedded or anchored in the upper portion of the end members to offer rigidity to the brackets and the free ends of these brackets project outwardly from one face of the members l0, and are provided with apertures l6.

Extending longitudinally between the end members is a plurality of spaced parallel cross members or rods IS having their terminal portions turned outwardly to engage the apertures l6 provided in the brackets, as best shown in Figure 5 of the drawings, in order to tie the upper portions of the end members together.

The numerals 20 and 22 represents the substantially rectangular cover members or slabs that extend in arch form between the end members. These cover members are preferably of concrete material having longitudinally extending spaced parallel steel reinforcing rods 24 embedded therein.

The free ends of these cover members rest on opposite ends of rods I8 and hold the ends of" the rods It! in engagement with the brackets M.

The inner end of one of the cover members, for example 22, is provided with a transversely extending substantially triangular tongue 26, that tightly engages a transversely extending substantially V-shaped groove 28 provided in the edge of cover 20 opposing tongue 26.

The cover members are of such a length that when they are in a fixed position, as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, the adjacent engaged ends of the covers will be spaced above the ends thereof that bear on the brackets so as to cause load pressure applied upon the covers to be inclined at a vertical angle with the ground surface.

Should the resulting load pressure from the earth above the casket 30 become great and force the cover members downwardly the cross bars [8 will support the load and covers to prevent the covers from engaging the top of the casket.

In use of the device, the casket is first lowered into the ground and then the end members are fixed in the grave opposing the ends of the casket.

The cover members are then placed in position to the casket as previously described with the aid of the U-shaped handle brackets 32"carried by the covers. j

Obviously, these handles may be used to lower 3 the cover in position to the casket by suitable suspension means, without the necessity of the attendant having to climb into the grave.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a. preferred embodiment of the invention the same is susceptible to certain changes fully compre hended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A protective earth supporting cover for caskets comprising a pair of spaced parallel upright end members, supporting brackets anchored to the upper portions of said end members, crossmembers extending between said end members and terminally secured to the brackets, said cross-members tying the upper portions of said end members together, and a pair of abutting slabs extending in arch form between the end members and positioned over the cross-members, the free ends of said slabs resting on opposite ends of said cross-members and holding the ends of said cross-members in engagement with the brackets.

2. The combination of claim 1 and suspension straps engaging means secured to the adjacent ends of said slabs to permit lowering of said slabs into a grave while the slabs remain in their arch form. 1

WALTER J. RUNYON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

